


Sunshine and Silk

by seasofteas



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Mention of Zukka, Mention of previous Ty Lee/Azula, Original Character(s), Post-Episode: s03e14-15 The Boiling Rock, Ty Lee and Mai talk about their trauma, but ty lee is mostly oblivious, mai has been pining for a little while, mostly about their friendship with Azula
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-18 19:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28623573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seasofteas/pseuds/seasofteas
Summary: Two identical prison cells, side by side. Ty Lee didn’t struggle when the guards grabbed her. She didn’t struggle when she was forced into the cell, as she crashed to the floor, too numb to catch herself. Through the wall, another body crumpled and the doors crashed close, leaving her laying in darkness.A depiction of Mai and Ty Lee's time at the Boiling Rock.
Relationships: Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm pretty sure that in canon, Mai & Ty Lee don't get sent to the Boiling Rock because they bonded with the Kyoshi warriors during that time and Suki was the only Kyoshi warrior at the Boiling Rock. But it is still pretty much canon-compliant. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Chapter One: 

Two identical prison cells, side by side. Ty Lee didn’t struggle when the guards grabbed her. She didn’t struggle when she was forced into the cell, as she crashed to the floor, too numb to catch herself. Through the wall, another body crumpled and the doors crashed close, leaving her laying in darkness. 

~

Azula staggered out of the gondola, holding on the two guards for support. Several strands of hair had fallen out of her top knot and clung to her sweaty face. The prison warden lay against a rock, where her brother and that water tribe peasant must have left him. 

“Ungag him!” she ordered. 

“Please, please have mercy on me!” The warden groveled before her with desperation. 

Azula scowled. This man was Mai’s uncle. Yet they seemed nothing alike, except for the fact that they were both pathetic. 

“I am kind enough to grant your own request.” she said through clenched teeth. “Throw him in the lake!”

Azula looked away at the open sea and ignored the screams of the warden and the shaking of her own body. They would rot in there. They would suffer for being traitors, and villains, and for sabotaging the crown princess. 

~

Ty Lee propped herself up, glancing up at the right wall. 

“Mai..” The name fell to the floor from her lips. She swallowed, crawling closer, leaning her head against the wall. 

“Mai,” her breath hitched, but she carried on. “Mai, can you… hear me?” 

There was no answer, not even a sound. No rustle of fabric or shift of weight. Only a deafening silence. 

~

Mai heard Ty Lee’s voice, Ty Lee’s voice whispering her name. She didn’t answer, or turn away. 

~

Ty Lee woke to a loud clanging. Someone yelling something about prisoners. She rolled over and, _uhh_ , she was sore all over. She looked around and, and remembered everything. Why she was laying on the floor of a prison cell, with only a lowly cot and barely a pillow. It was Ty Lee’s nightmares, come true. She would have hung her head to cry if the door hadn’t opened at that moment. 

“Get up.” 

The voice was cold and silken, with a manipulative air. So familiar. She complied, not unwilling. 

“Hmm,.... how did a pretty girl like you,.. end up in a place like this?” 

It was only a guard in the doorway. Only a guard with long dark hair pulled back to reveal a chilly smile. The guard tossed a pile of fabric into her cell, and it landed with a soft _thump._

“Change into those. Now.” The cell door slammed shut. 

Ty Lee slipped into the scarlet tunic and pants. That voice had sounded like Azula’s. When it wasn’t her, Ty lee had felt a little heartbroken and a little relieved. She felt ashamed of that. 

Ashamed of being on a tipping point, when Ty Lee knew exactly how she felt about Azula. The door opened once more, shoving her into the rush of prisoners. 

“Get in line! Get in line!” 

They were all marched into a large dining hall and into smaller lines to be served some sort of gruel. Ty Lee’s eyes scanned the room quickly, looking for a certain face. There she was, a girl with a sour expression, picking at a bowl of gruel. Mai. 

“Mai!” Ty lee ducked out of line, only to be shoved back in by a pair of burly guards.

“Get ya food first before ya start chatting up the other prisoners!”

After being served, Ty Lee maneuvered across the room, plopped down in front of Mai and gave a radiant smile. Mai met it with a scowl. 

Ty Lee leaned forward “Your hair looks _so_ pretty like that, you know.” And it did. It was completely down, silky and shiny and very, very long. 

Mai scowled even harder, though there was a little color in her cheeks. 

“You should eat that,” she said. “This shit is going to be all we’re going to get here.” 

Ty Lee giggled a little. “Don’t be silly, Mai! We’ll be out of here soon. The warden is your uncle and he’s not going to let you stay in this horrible dump.” She shuddered a little, taking a bit more serious stance. “My aura is getting greyer by the minute.” 

“Be quiet, I - I can’t stand you.”

They both froze. Mai’s eyes were like daggers with a bit of regret and shock shimmering on the blade. Her words had been sharp too, but they hadn’t quite hit. Ty Lee stared at her, until she stood and turned away. 

“Mai!” _Pathetic and desperate,_ whispered a familiar little voice in Ty Lee’s head. Pushing back tears, she ran after her, dodging several figures but slamming into their whispers.

“Say, aren’t those the two girls who came here with that princess?”

“I wonder what they did.”

“So.. young.”

Ty lee pumped her legs faster, and burst out into the light. Sunlight pouring into the prison yard and a hint of color in the hidden sky, in a twisted way it was all kind of beautiful. 

Mai was slumped against the yard’s tall walls. Her hair was messy, like she’d run her hands through it and for a moment, Ty Lee thought that maybe she wanted to run her hands through Mai’s hair, it looked soft and inviting.

Mai looked up as Ty Lee ran over, clearly surprised. Ty Lee felt a little surprised at herself too. 

She hadn’t cried at Mai’s words. She had to be brave and strong here. Maybe that was a bit unlike her, but a prison was also an unlikely situation. 

“Mai, I know you didn’t mean that. I know you’re just -” 

“Attention, all prisoners!” A firm voice rang out from a balcony above the prison yard. 

Ty Lee looked up and recognized the guard who had visited her earlier as the speaker.

“I hope everyone has had a wonderful morning, especially our newest arrivals. As much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, that is one of my tasks today. Unfortunately, the former warden’s career has ended due to a fatal _accident._ ” 

Ty Lee gasped, glancing at Mai’s face, which gave no hint of emotion whatsoever, not even a flicker of sorrow for a family loss. 

The guard atop the balcony cleared her throat and continued. “Seeing as this development leaves our prison messy and vulnerable, I have dutifully accepted the role of the new warden. I know that many of you do not know my name, but I will give you it gladly. I am Warden Yin. I will do my best to ensure this prison runs as smoothly and..” she gripped the railing tighter, leaning over it with an almost menacing smile. “...effectively as possible. That is all.” 

The new warden walked stepped away and muttering amongst the prisoners increased.

“Oh, Mai! I’m so sorry about your uncle.” Ty Lee threw her arms around her friend. “I guess….., I guess our escape plan needs a little more time. But we are-” 

“Stop. _She_ already told me the news. And I’m not sad about my uncle at all. He was a horrible person for making this place the way it is.” 

Tears bubbled in Ty Lee’s eyes, but she still reached her hand towards Mai’s cheek.

“Stop.” Mai pushed her away. “Stop this. There’s not going to be an escape plan. We’re not..going to be able to get out of here.” 

There was a tear in Mai’s eye and it rolled down her face, landing on a strand of hair.


	2. Chapter 2

Ty Lee mopped the grimy floor aggressively, pausing to catch her breath. 

Someone approached her from behind, clicking their tongue. 

“Slacking off on your very first week?” It was Warden Yin. “I know that you’re just a  _ little girl _ , but you’re still  _ required  _ to pull your own weight.” 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, I just -” 

“No, I don’t want to hear  _ anything _ from you.” Yin’s sharp nails were against Ty Lee’s throat, her breath hissing her ears. Relief flowed through her when Yin stepped away. And then, Yin slapped her face. 

It stung red. Red and raw. 

A broom clattered to the floor. Ty Lee could see Mai standing across the room. And, then she ran. Yin held a hand up to stop her, as Mai burst towards Ty Lee.

They stood like that for what felt like forever. Separated by the warden, only by the warden. Ty Lee was clutching her face in her hands, and Mai’s face was full of fury, like it had been when Azula had threatened Zuko.

Yin interrupted with a deep-throated laugh, stepping aside and pushing Ty Lee into Mai’s arms. 

The warden walked away, still laughing, but there had been something else in her eyes. A bit of shock, or perhaps fear. 

Mai frowned down at Ty Lee, helping her to her feet before crossing the room once more. They barely saw each for the rest of the day. Ty Lee had a feeling that Mai was avoiding her. 

~

It was a silent midnight, not quite unusual. Ty Lee was propped up against the wall behind her and Mai’s cell, once again. Her eyes tried to flicker closed. 

There was movement in the cell over, just a rustle of fabric.

“Mai?” Ty Lee exclaimed, sitting up right. 

The rustling stopped abruptly. 

She sighed with a hint of laughter on the edge. 

“Mai, I know that you’re awake and I know that you can hear me.” 

There was still nothing.

“Mai..,” she dropped her voice. “Are you… angry with me?”

Ty Lee slumped lower against the wall, when there was no answer. And then, a voice rang out through the darkness, quiet and yet, so loud. 

“No.” 

“Then, what is it?” Ty lee wished that there wasn’t a wall between them, wished that she could lace their fingers together with a gentle squeeze. 

“I… I’m.. I’m angry at … myself.” The words jumped out of Mai’s mouth, followed by a painful  _ sigh.  _ She continued. “After all, it’s  _ my  _ fault that we’re in here.”

“How could it possibly be your fault? Do..,” Ty Lee paused. “Do you wish you hadn’t saved Zuko?”

“No, I don’t regret that at all. But.., maybe if I’d been a better girlfriend, if I’d loved him enough, he would have left the Fire Nation at all. And you wouldn't be sitting in a prison cell.” There were tears in Mai’s voice. “You shouldn’t have saved me. You should have left.”

“You loved Zuko plenty! Don’t say that, don’t say things like that!” And there were tears, there was sorrow streaming down Ty Lee’s face. 

Mai actually laughed, in a maniacal way. “But that’s not true. We both didn’t love each other in the way that we thought we did, or the way we thought the other did.” 

Mai’s voice floated to a softer tone, a smile hidden within it. “You know, Zuko has someone else now.” 

“Who?” Ty Lee still hadn’t fully understood Mai’s words, but she asked the question anyway. 

“That Water Tribe one.” 

“You mean that pretty waterbender? Her?” 

Mai chuckled, with joy this time. “No! It’s that boomerang guy!”

Ty Lee felt confused at these words, but Mai seemed happy. And so Ty Lee smiled too.

“Oh, Mai! I wish I could wrap my arms around you and give you a good hug!” 

“God, you’re so annoying!” Mai teased her and it felt a bit like old times. 

“Come on, just look at you, talking about your feelings! I’m so proud of you!” 

“You always have to ruin it. But maybe that’s why I keep you around, Ty Lee.” 

Mai laughed, and it was so undignified, unlike her but also exactly like her. Ty Lee laughed along, letting their joy form a simple harmony. 

The two girls fell asleep against their connected walls, with smiles on their faces. 

~

The next morning was better than usual. Yin might have pushed her into the wall as she was walking to the prison yard, but maybe it was an accident. 

Ty Lee found Mai and gave her the hug, and while Mai grumbled a bit and rolled her eyes dramatically, she didn’t pull away. 

They stood together with their hands clasped. Ty Lee reached out a finger and gave Mai a little  _ boop! _ on the nose. “So... we need to talk about escape.” 

Mai lowered her head at the words, but Ty Lee lifted her chin up, staring into her golden eyes. 

“I know that it seems harder to try and it feels harder to have hope, but please.” She insisted and Mai sighed at that. 

“Maybe..you are right. Maybe I have been...afraid. It’s so much easier to just... give up.” It took a while for Mai to get the words out and they swirled around in the air, lifting up the tips of Ty Lee’s lips. 

“Great! Ya know, this place can barely contain us! I mean we are a circus freak and a knife thrower.” Ty Lee threw some imaginary punches, ducking and dodging. 

Mai snickered. “That is true.” 

“Very true. Now, the sooner we get out of here, the sooner things can go back to normal.”

Mai froze, tilting her head in obvious confusion. “What do you mean, back to normal?” 

“You know what I mean,” Ty lee laughed a little, though the conversation had dropped to a serious tone. “We’re going back to the Fire Nation. We’re going back to help her.”

“Go back to...Azula?!” Mai’s voice was raised and her hands were gesturing all around. “Why on earth would go back to her?”

Ty Lee gaped. “She’s our friend!”

“Azula tried to kill me. She threw us in this prison to rot.” Mai was firm, back to her flat monotone, even though her words had meaning. “I know I’m not an expert on people, but that’s not what friends do.”

“Azula is just confused! We have to help her. Her life is already so hard, and it will be even harder if we just abandon her.” Desperate tears were streaming down her face, how could Mai not understand?

“No.” Mai’s words hit like beats in a falling melody. 

“No.” She pulled her hands away. 

“No.” She stepped back. 

“I know Azula’s has had a hard life. I know that maybe, just maybe she’s a good person deep, deep down. But I know that it’s not our job to fix her, after the way she treated us.” Her voice, once steady, broke off into a million different pieces. 

Ty Lee could feel her heart cracking in two, two different sides pulling on her soul. Mai saw it too, saw that Ty Lee was still tied to Azula, even by an invisible thread. 

They were alone, once more. 


End file.
